A woman dreamt that she was attending someone’s wedding. She decided to leave and take an uber ride share home. The driver was an 84-year-old man who violated her sexually when she arrived home.

At home, someone had shot her father in the leg, and he was not hurt very bad. Her mother was mortally wounded as the bullet was lodged near her heart. She vividly experienced holding the wound shut with her hand to prevent bleeding. The dream ended with her mother being take to the hospital.

Interpretation

Her parents were in the process of a bitter divorce. Her father had an affair with another woman. The dream starts out with a wedding because a wedding represents integration of the dreamer. The divorce of her father introject (her actions) from her mother introject (the dreamer’s emotions) was affecting her integration as a person at the first level of dream interpretation.

At the second or interpersonal level of dream interpretation, the dream starts out with someone’s wedding because it was announcing that someone’s marriage (her parents) was going to be involved. When both the first and second levels are true it is condensation. The dream is fitting the maximum amount of meaning into the smallest space.

I am more and more impressed how everyday sayings can add to the interpretation of a dream. I believe being sexually violated by an old uber driver was the dream emphasizing that she was “being taken for a ride.” The dream was highlighting how personally violated her father’s affair and resulting divorce made her feel. The driver was 84 because personal violations by her father were “getting old.”

The number 84 is not insignificant. Four is the number of stability as there are four legs to a chair, four legs to a table, four directions, four quarters to a game, etc. When a dream wants to emphasize something, it may give you two of them, as in 2×4=8. I believe the number 8 in this case stresses how the affair and divorce negatively affected her feelings of stability.

Mother introjects typically go with the foundation of emotions which is emphasized by the bullet being lodged near the heart (the body organ most associated with love).

Legs support us. Her father is shot in the leg because she felt the loss of support from her father. Her father was not hurt as bad because he was not hurt as seriously by the divorce. He had already immersed himself in a relationship with the other woman.

Her placing her hand over her mother’s heart, and her mother being taken to the hospital, emphasized the hope that the dreamer’s emotions and her mother would heal from the disturbing divorce.

A man dreamt about chasing a small mouse. Most of the dream was oriented on chasing this small fast mouse. In the dream other people even helped chase it. The dreamerI had no clue what this meant or symbolized, or if it was just “a weird dream.”

Interpretation

Animals in dreams often represent a part of the dreamer’s instincts. The mouse in this dream is fast and never gets caught in spite of other parts of your mind (other people in the dream) trying to help catch it.
If it were my dream, it would probably represent a desire to get something done right so that I felt good about it, but never getting it to be exactly the way I wanted it to be.

I wonder if there is something you have been working on, perhaps with others, that you have been trying to get exactly right, but success eludes you. At the final stage–it is almost within your grasp, but something suddenly happens, some small detail in the final stage, so that you are left unsatisfied.

A psychologist who had been in Jungian analysis shared a way to help remember dreams. He noted that drinking a large glass of water would require getting up in the middle of the night. When one gets up to go to the bathroom, you usually were in an REM dream state before waking up and it will be easier to remember the dream. He recommended writing down the dream before taking care of the urge if possible so that you do not lose parts of the dream.

Hospice workers noticed that dying patients frequently dream of family or friends who have died before in this article

I have noticed for years that people can have spiritual or vision dreams where it feels like the deceased friend, relative, or lover is actually there. That is, the dreamer believes they can see, hear, touch, and smell the person they knew so very well. It feels more like a visit than a dream sometimes.

See the many different types of dreams in my book at http://www.drstevenfox.com

A woman dreamt that she was sitting at her desk at work. She keeps getting a phone call from some person who is begging for her urgent help. She keeps her equanimity by telling the person that putting a necklace with a cross in their socks will help them.

She noted that she knew (and probably loves) a basketball player who does this before playing a game. She keeps having this dream repeatedly. She always gives the person calling the same advice, that putting a necklace cross in their socks will help them

Interpretation

Each person in the dream represents a part of her mind. Men tend to go with actions; women tend to go with emotions. She is at her desk at work in the dream so the dream is probably mainly referring to the work portion of her life. We know that it is a big dream because she has it repeatedly. She has run into this conflict, or one similar to it, before at work, so her subconscious keeps throwing her the same symbolism in an attempt to hint at the answer.

The person calling needs help. A necklace goes around the throat chakra so it involves her speech. Socks involve the legs which support us and get us where we need to go. A cross is a religious symbol that signifies spirituality and faith. Dreams frequently use games to represent the game of life.

I believe the dream is saying that it will help her to have faith in her speech and work projects to get the help she needs to advance, to go where she needs to go. That it occurs repeatedly supports the idea that this is a recurring conflict for her at work. The advice involves a male basketball player so it highlights her work actions. She needs to believe in what she says and does to get ahead at work in the game of life.

“I had a strange dream last night, I was at a new job and I was sitting at the desk and I opened my cabinet. I said that my jewelry is missing a necklace. On my left, there were 3 girls blowing bubbles. On my right, a girl was offering me chocolate small bars in a white bag. It ended there. The cabinet was a light wood color. Thanks

Interpretation

I think the dream may be commenting on the type of job you may want to find. Three is the number of change since three people in a relationship is the most unstable.

Water is emotion and bubbles sound like fun emotion to me. The little chocolate bars, of course, are “sweet little things.”

Jewelry usually refers to values or valuables in your subconscious–what is important to you. The left tends to go with the subconscious while the right usually mirrors conscious wishes.

You want a necklace which is worn near the throat chakra which tends to go with communication and free speech. But your necklace being missing may be implying there was not enough communication in previous jobs. The cabinet strikes me as a storage of things you want and value.

I think the dream is probably saying something like the best job for you would be one that would be a change in the sense of having a certain amount of emotional fun in it. Consciously, it may involve little sweet things (children?). It is important that there is communication, and relatively open communication, on the job.

Feedback

The dreamer later told me she thought the dream was giving advice on what type of job she should look for.

Dreams may help you have fun at http://www.drstevenfox.com

Dr. Fox is also the author of “Multiple Sclerosis Mission Remission: Healing MS Against All Odds,” a true story of how he sent MS into remission.

I dreamt that I was in my home town, down where all the shops are, and I was on a roof ledge. There was an old man up there and he gave me a wicked smile and threw a nest with two eggs off the roof. In that instant, I became filled with rage and hate for the old man and I also realized that I was a crow not a human. I flew all over the town trying to find the old guy but I couldn’t.

If you get the time, I’d love to know your thoughts..

Interpretation

There are lots of conflicting symbols in this dream. Birds typically go with freedom and escape from limitations. Crows have been associated with death, but it is like a 10% chance that is what the dream is referring to.

Think in a more general level about the crow as representing change and being a warning about that change. The old man is a Shadow side of the wise old man archetype.

He disturbs the “nest” which is located where the shops are, where business is conducted, so it likely is referring to your business, financial, or career part of your life. He disrupts the nest with two eggs. It occurs to me that you have two children.

You are a bird and he may be giving the warning that if you fly the coop and escape the limitations of your job, you risk disrupting your home life. The dream gives one a strange feeling because the wise old man is rarely malevolent, but I think it is possible that he is trying to protect you by warning you.

The Shadow is both the parts of us that cause change and are affected the most by change. I think the dream may be saying that you want more freedom in or from your job, but your Shadow does not think it is the best idea right now, FWIW.

Feedback

The dreamer told me that there were many changes coming to his job that he was frustrated with. He was indeed considering looking for another job. For right now, the dream wants him to stay. That may, of course, change in the future.

Dreams can tell you when the time is right at http://www.drstevenfox.com

“I dreamed I and a friend were trapped in a house with a guy I dated briefly in my late teens. He was acting strange. Crazy almost. He had a shotgun pointed at me and was about to shoot, but my friend had one too, and shot him before he shot me. About the same time, the police burst into the house. But it was too late. She’d already killed him. We had to go to the police station and answer questions. His sisters came in. And more of his family. Then some of my family. Then we were at a church in the congregation hall. Everybody was crying. All dressed up. The funeral I’m guessing. I was holding someone’s baby and talking to another girl who was his girlfriend back in the day. We were talking about another man that I lived with that had died a few years ago by suicide and I woke up.
I often have dark morose sometimes violent dreams but why. I wake up and have a hard time getting these dreams out of my mind. Why do I dream disturbing things like this? And of course, in the dream it’s always so dramatic and vivid, and you wish you could wake up and it would end!”

Interpretation

Very interesting dream. I think it is probably about your feelings about how you have acted in relationships. In dreams, men tend to go with your actions and women tend to go with your emotions.

It starts out with a past relationship where he was clearly going to hurt you, but a part of your emotions correctly ended the harmful relationship.

Police usually represent your superego or conscience. The funeral with his family and comiserating with a girlfriend about a man you lived with who committed suicide (the ultimate guilt trip) are all about guilt tripping yourself over relationships that you appropriately ended.

Your subconscious is screaming that it is time to put an end to, to have a funeral for, your self-doubts and remorse over relationships that were best terminated.

You are holding a baby in the dream probably because babies can represent new beginnings or a new part of yourself. The dream may be urging you to content yourself with new positive feelings and free yourself from depressing self-doubts.

Dreams can help you understand your feelings at http://www.drstevenfox.com

Dream 516: The Good Squirrel in a hard situation
A woman had this first of two dreams:
“So I have been having lots of visions and seeing numbers in my dreams, but the numbers come in my dreams, just showing me the numbers. First strange dream, I had a squirrel stuck on the top of my hand, and it wouldn’t shake off, till eventually it did. I was alone and outside . I can’t remember anything else in that dream, except that it was calm and sitting on my hand. In my dream, it was on my hand the minute I was in the dream.

Here are the numbers: 180, 3011,311, and ($5.95 the price of something–
don’t know what it was.)”

She described her real life situation as follows:
“I am not working currently. I finished school and I will be taking my state test for my LPN. I am looking for work, and I am taking care of my elderly parents.”

First Interpretation

If it were my dream, the squirrel would represent saving and storing things for the future which you have done by going to school. I think it is on your hand because your hands are full and your hands are tied probably.
The numbers point to all kinds of change. Your situation took a 180 degree turn, 3 is the number of change, 0 is a full stop, the 1’s emphasize yourself. Your life was changing but came to a full stop because of your parents’ situation.

The 5.95 is interesting. Somehow it seems to be predicting or saying that you need a 9 to 5 job. There is a 9 and two 5’s= 9to5.

Second Squirrel Dream

“So how crazy can this be, I had a similar dream with myself as the squirrel. The only thing–it was a black cat with his teeth in my palm, I wasn’t bleeding either.The cat had a mean look and looking straight at me, I shook him off and it ended there. Nothing else took place that I remember. I don’t know in my dream where I was either. Another thing– in both dreams I was staying at my friend’s house when I had them.”

Second Squirrely Interpretation

Interesting images. A squirrel is an industrious creature that plans for the future. It lives in a tree which is a symbol of integration, getting your life together. A cat is a symbol of affection I believe, in this case. A black cat can be a symbol of bad luck.
Putting it together, you are an industrious little squirrel who is trying to get your life together whose hands have been tied by bad luck. You may be afraid that their will be hurt and/or angry feelings if you shake the situation off, but that is not the case because you do not get hurt.
If it were my dream, I would take it to mean that your changing the situation to pursue your ambitions without getting hurt is possible. The dream is not explicitly saying how to do it. It is simply saying it can be done in a manner that you can pursue your ambitions without causing hurt.

Dreamer Question

“So being in the same person’s house with just a different but similar dream–does it mean anything? Is it warning me of something?”

My Answer

It is a heavy dream–you probably felt relaxed enough in your friend’s house to be able to have a dream that otherwise would have been repressed because of anxiety.

“I just woke up from the weirdest dream. There was a busy little street with ton of shops and fun houses etc., almost like the Kensington market area. There was a school down the hill with a small gate and a bunch of students outside who were bullying some kid. I had my back to a railing. There was some water that had been splashing up onto the sidewalk from what I thought at first was the ocean.

I looked down and there was a animal that was the cross between a dolphin,a manatee, and a balooga whale. It was big but swimming in a puddle. It was looking at me and talking to me telepathically. I was petting it and trying to help it. I could hear the song “higher than a mountain” being sung very loudly by Linda Moulton Howe (the lady from the alien clips on youtube).

There was a guy looking at me from a window of a psychic shop who was questioning me about what I was going do to help the creature. Behind me, the bar I was leaning on led down into an industrial area filled with machines that I work on. I was talking to the animal and its face was transforming as it spoke to me and I started crying trying so hard to figure out how I was going to help the animal.

I’m sure I left out a couple details because I just woke up, still in excruciating pain. Please can you help me see the meaning? It seemed like a very powerful dream and it seemed very real. When it was happening, it was like I could feel the animal’s skin and feel its soul talking to me.”

Interpretation

Water in dreams is emotion. Animals usually represent the dreamer’s instincts. The animal is a very interesting collection of three animals.

A manatee is a herbivore “sea cow” which I think may represent your nuturing and peaceful side of your nature. The beluga whale is in the arctic and probably represents your strong and well developed ability to endure harsh conditions. A dolphin is intelligent, lively, fun, and versatile.

This animal that belongs in the ocean is reduced to splashing in a mud puddle in the streets which may be a comment on how your powerful inner nature is constrained by circumstances on the street.

The lady singing ” higher than a mountain” may be commenting on the challenges that you face.

I think the man looking out from the psychic shop is a call to action to use your psychic abilities to find an emotional place or atmosphere in life where your feelings can survive.

That it was very vivid and seemed real to your senses to me indicates that it was indeed a “big” dream with spiritual/transcendental meaning.

The above article is the best dream therapy article I have have read in some time. I think the thing about dream therapy is that it took me ten years to get really good at it–I mean I was always OK, but did not feel accomplished until I had been doing it for a while.

At some point, the interpreter has to seriously believe and move on the images and what they are saying, and not get distracted by rationalization because we do not like the news that the dream is delivering.

At the end of the article, the dream about the woman who would not jump into a pool in spite of being urged to do so by friends reinforces the importance of water in dreams. Water virtually always is emotion. At the first level, it probably means that she avoids diving into her own emotions. At the second level, it probably means that she is avoiding getting emotionally involved with others, such as friends, too much.

People wonder if dreams mean something–it is rare for a dream to mean absolutely nothing in a relatively healthy person. The more frequent mistake is underestimating the meaning of a dream. The question more often is how many levels of reality is the dream addressing?

Dreams can clarify your emotions and decisions at http://www.drstevenfox.com

Dream 512: Change, Change, Change
A woman had the following image dream: “A very long black snake with three heads and glowing red eyes.”

Interpretation

A snake is a symbol of change since it’s one of the few animals that completely sheds its skin. Three is the number of change in the sense of three people in a relationship is the most unstable situation you can have–things are going to change.

Red usually indicates strong emotion–it can be either anger or love depending on the situation. The eyes are said to be the windows to the soul.

She is orobably anticipating or going through some major kind of a change that is very emotional. How the snake is behaving is important. Is the snake threatening and moving, something she observes from a distance, etc.? Her feelings in the dream would also be key here. How she feels in the dream is likely how she feels about the changes or coming changes.

Dreams can help you deal with the changes in life at http://www.drstevenfox.com

I am frequently asked about the meaning of losing teeth in a dream. I came across this extensive post by Jungian dream interpreter Jesamine Mello on the Quora website that tells you ninety percent of what you need to know:

“While it’s true that dreams about losing or breaking your teeth can illustrate anxiety or loss or insecurity, when you’re interpreting your dreams, you always have to ask, “why this image for anxiety, insecurity, loss?” Any number of images can mean the same thing. You could have an image of losing your hair, and that too, says something about appearance.

So, you first look at what teeth mean, both symbolically and biologically because over the eons of our evolution, it’s those aspects that make their imprint. Once we look at what teeth mean, then we look at what it could mean that you lose them.

In short, symbolically teeth are images of power and transformation. Biologically, they are necessary for digestion. In animals, teeth are displays of power, instruments of aggression and defense, as well as tools.

When we say something, “has teeth”, in reference to a law or something, then it means that law has the power to make people follow it. When something has “no teeth”, then it has no power. If a primitive loses his teeth, then he’s lost his power. If he wears the teeth of an animal or enemy, then he’s gained power.

So, in relation to power, dreams about losing teeth could mean that your insecurity comes from a power issue – what we’d call a complex in Jungian analysis. You’d have to ask what your relationship to power is. Do you need to assert yourself more or less? If you are overpowering or too aggressive, then the dream takes that from you and leaves you vulnerable. If you are already powerless, then the dream shows you how that looks. The dream is an attempt at balancing your attitude by drawing your attention to it.

In relation to digestion, teeth play a major role in breaking food down into smaller pieces, thus allowing us to digest and assimilate it, and then, use it for energy. Having no teeth in a dream could mean that you aren’t able to process or digest some experience in your life. It’s too much to take in, so to speak. In this case, maybe you need to learn to reflect more, break things down, take more time to reflect or consider something – in order to make it more digestible.

On the other hand, maybe you overthink – in which case you have worn out your teeth. In this case, learn to stop chewing and just swallow what happens. Let the natural course of digestion take its course. You can’t control everything.

We also say “bite down” on something in reference to “getting a grip” on it. The idea here would be an ability to sink your teeth into something”. To have no teeth, would mean an inability to focus or engage.

If your teeth are crumbling, then perhaps you hold on for too long.

Teeth are for gripping something – similar to what I just said. To lose them would be losing your grip. This could indicate a time to let go of something too long-held. That could be an attitude, a worn out belief system, or a relationship. You’d have to reflect on that.

And finally, losing teeth could very well point to some kind of initiatory transformation in your life. Think about all of the rituals related to children losing teeth. In primitive societies of Australia for example, teeth were ritually knocked to symbolize this kind of passage.”
__________________
My main comment is that, she mentions it briefly at the beginning, but tends to discount it because it is so common. The most common interpretation is that you have lost something of value to you, which could be a relationship, the death of a person, money, status, or even a personal quality. Your reaction to the loss is similar to the loss of a tooth. You don’t like it because you have lost something personal, but you will recover.

Dreams can help put teeth into your life at http://www.drstevenfox.com

“It’s always the last day of high school and the building is clearing out. The hallway is trashed. I’m getting my stuff out of my locker and going to my car. The hallways still have a few other students in it. I’ve had this dream before. What does it mean? Thanks”

Interpretation

It seems that dreams are fascinated with high school. I believe this is for two reasons. The main one being that it is a play on the words “high school.”

Dreams, I believe, look at high school as a metaphor for “a school for our higher self.” It is also because this is a major developmental stage in life that sets the foundation for all else that happens the rest of our lives.

I believe your subconscious is giving you a vote of confidence. I believe you have probably learned many lessons for your higher self.

This is encouragment to not dwell in the past, to clean out your locker and get in your vehicle and go forward in life.

If it were my dream, it sounds like it is encouragment to go forward when your subconscious feels that you’ve learned all the lessons from a situation, that your higher self needed to learn from a situation.

It sounded like it is a repetitive dream. Repetitive dreams are big dreams, because you’ve once again reached a stage that has happened before, a place where your subconscious feels that you’ve learned all that you can from a given situation and should move on.

So in that way, when you have a dream like this, it is both giving you recognition for what you’ve accomplished, and gives you encouragement to move forward.

I dreamed of a black german shepard dog with a yellow collar running down the road. He was obviously lost by the way he acted and looked. Does this have a meaning?

Interpretation

Dogs usually represent your instinctive affection of loyalty and protection. It sounds like you may have lost that feeling of being protected by another’s loyalty. Yellow can be a color signifying caution is needed. These feelings have probably been “unleashed” and are looking for a home.

The dreamer replied:
Well, I’m about to get married at the end of the month. Maybe I’ve got prewedding jitters?

To which I answered:
That sounds reasonable to me. It could represent worries, that you do not want the feelings of loyalty and protection to be lost.

Dreams can help you discern what is worrying you at http://www.drstevenfox.com

I had a dream that I walked into my old friend’s shop and a bunch of gangsters showed up and started stripping it of the AC units and everything else of value because he owed them money. I tried to respectfully remove myself from the situation with charm and friendliness towards the gangsters. I ended up losing my vehicle and crashing another while trying to escape the area because I had gone back for some of my things. On my final escape on foot a gangster couldn’t help himself from trying to shoot me in the parking lot even though the leader had given me a pass. I pounced on him, turned the gun on him and shot him. Now I had to run into the city on foot being persued by some of the gangsters. I found a officer who was listening to someone else and wasn’t interested in helping anyone. I was then rescued by a passing friend.

When I woke up before the dream started fading I yelled out in my mind to the Creator to let me know what I should learn from such a dream. The Creator’s reply was “let the things in your life be separate from things that gangsters occupy themselves with.” I thought in response, that my friend was a noble gangster and has done nothing ethically wrong in my own eyes that I know of. The response to that was that I should know that my friend wouldn’t hesitate for a second to kill me for the sake of his enterprise. And I believe that.

Interpretation

What a stunning and monumental dream! At the first level of dream interpretation, the intrapsychic level, the gansters represent shadow elements within the dreamer. At the second level of dream interpretation, the interpersonal level, the gangsters represents shadow elements or people he is dealing with in his life. It probably involves the money-making part of his life because it occurs in a friend’s shop. The gangsters steal air conditioning units–I believe the dream is screaming that he is allowing shadow elements into his life that are leading to him losing his “cool.” Additionally, it may represent at the second interpersonal level that these shadow elements in his life may lose their cool and rip him off. He is betrayed by getting shot after given assurance that he will not be shot warning the dreamer not to believe assurances of safety that he may be receiving. The police officer probably represents his own conscience at the first level who is not listening to the reality of the situation. At the second level, it may be advice that going to the police will do no good, although the second level is much more unreliable than the first level. In any case, he is left to his own devices to deal with this situation. He has internal resources (the friend) that will help him deal with this situation. The dream then abandons all symbolism and tells the dreamer what he knows in his heart, “let the things in your life be separate from things that gangsters occupy themselves with.” This is your subconscious or soul telling you the truth which you recognize. I think this dream is a warning for what you already knew at a deep level but maybe were putting off until the dream highlighted it in its own inimitable way.

I don’t usually have dreams about my father because he treated everyone in our family poorly. He had passed away back in 1989. So last night i dreamt I was playing around tossing an acorn to my dad landing on his lap, he got up walked over to me and told me to open my mouth, but I didn’t. The look on his face was so mean , then he walked back to his chair.

A little while later, forgetting I had done this before, I tossed another acorn to him landing on his lap. He got up, walked over and said open your mouth, and I didn’t. I don’t know what this means. In this dream, my father was a younger man and didn’t have MS .

Interpretation

I want to be considerate interpreting this, but am having a hard time because the dream is screaming its message. It may help to know that I have had primary progressive multiple sclerosis for 27 years and somehow recovered twelve years ago.

Anyway, the acorn is the nut of an oak tree. Trees are symbols of integration as they open to the sky, roots go deep into the earth, and they are with us on the land.

The oak tree is valued because it is a very strong wood/tree. I wonder if the dream is trying to lead you to insight into how your father may have affected you.

I wonder if he was a strong man who was frustrated with his MS and became a sort of “nut” who was mean.

The dream implies that you are trying to lighten up your inner father interject, your internalized model of male action, by playing a sort of game with it, but that internalized model has made you feel like you best keep your mouth shut, probably because it was best to keep your mouth shut around your father. He is younger in the dream at probably his age that he most affected you.

Again, for what it is worth, as the situation sounds complex.

Dreams can help you understand how you have been affected at http://www.drfoxblog.com

I usually research my dreams online and find clear answers, but my dream last night was memorable and I’m getting very mixed results.

First and foremost, I am not pregnant!

But I dreamt of having cramps during a family event and finding out a hour or so later that it was labor. I was hardly showing and confused (in real life I’ve gained about 20 pounds I’m subconscious about and in my dream I was just a little larger than my actual size in the tummy). Being with my whole family, I got rushed to a safe place and before I knew it was giving birth.

My sister, who I am struggling with having a natural relationship with, delivered the baby in one easy push. She was beautiful and I held her in my arms. She had a lot of hair for a new-born and looked right at me. She was perfect!

I don’t remember much of the rest, but of course couldn’t help but be curious. I’ve had a dream about being pregnant but never one of giving birth. Things I’ve read say it’s a change or misfortune and both ways weigh heavily in that direction. Obviously don’t want a misfortune! It felt sudden and unplanned, but like a blessing once it was all said and done.

Interpretation

A baby usually is giving birth to a new aspect of yourself. It is a baby girl delivered by the contrary sister. Women usually go with an emotional part of your mind.

At the first level, I would guess that the part of you that is dealing with the sister is changing in significant ways. At the second level, the dream might be signaling a condensation in the sense that if you let your sister help you “deliver,” it may open up a newly minted emotional part of yourself.

Another point of view is that a part of your emotions that is like your sister (try not to throw up) could be a shadow part of yourself that helps you deliver new and beautiful emotional perspectives.

In any case, I would take the dream as positive predictive and trying to give you credit for using a shadow part of your emotions to bring about new beginnings.

In any case, I think the dream may be saying that things improve emotionally with your family (since they all go to the hospital together with you)–hospitals are a symbol of a place where healing occurs.

“My girlfriend had a dream that she was sitting in a living room (not recognizable) and a black figure was sitting across from her. No cape or cloak just like a shadow. He then grabbed her hand and as she went to talk, he put his finger in front of his mouth in a “shh” manner. She got quiet then had another dream running through the woods in fear and this black figure led her into a tree that had a door on it. Then this led to the final of the trilogy. She was once again running from something and there was a “safe room” at the end. I was in this one and trying to get her in safely. I kept waving my hand in a “cmon” manner. The black shadow man told me to go in but wouldn’t let her in. This was all in one night. 3 separate dreams, one figure in all of them seemingly trying to help her but holds her back once she gets to the safe room and tries to get to me in there. Just curious as to what this could mean. We have a few theories but not sure.”

Interpretation

These dreams are 3 stages of a big dream, it sounds like to me. Her shadow is definitely trying to communicate with her to get her to do what she doesn’t want to do and which the shadow believes is necessary for her to grow. They shadow frequently is the therapeutic part of your subconscious that makes you do things you don’t want to do or are denying.

In the 1st stage, this shadow is indicating that what he wants is to show her what she needs to do and not only talk about it. In other words, the shadow wants more than talk. He wants action.

In the 2nd stage of dreams, the shadow shows what the problem is. The problem is that she runs from her problems. A tree is a symbol of integration. Being on the inside of a tree is the dreams indication that the person needs to do much inner work to integrate. That is why the shadow leads her to the inside of a tree, because she is too dependent on others and needs to rely more on her own internal integration of thoughts, feelings and actions.

The 3rd stage to dreams indicates further what the shadow and her dream wants her to do to to function better. She wants to join you as a solution to her problems which could be seen as wanting to be too emotionally dependent upon you. The shadow is holding you back from doing too much emotionally for her that she should be doing for herself. She needs to find safe space within herself instead of running to a loved one’s safe room. This is said without me knowing you or the situation and probably needs considerable modification.

Dreams can help you come out of the shadows at http://www.drstevenfox.com

Dream Question 506:What does it mean if a person who you don’t know or ever seen calls your name in a dream?

At the first level, each living thing in a dream is a part of your mind. Men tend to go with an action part of the mind, while women tend to go with an emotional part of the psyche. If it is a person you don’t recognize, it is a part of your mind that you are not familiar with, as we all have parts of ourselves that we don’t know about very well.

If it is a man, it’s usually trying to get your attention to doing some action. If it is a woman, it usually is about how you’re dealing with something emotionally. If you are able to see the person, the characteristics of the person may be informative as to what archetype is being employed by the dream.

For example, a knight in shining armor would be the heroic masculine archetype. An older fatherly figure would probably be the wise old man archetype. Shadowy or aggressive people with bad intent would be the dreamer’s shadow which is important for the dreamer to fully know.

Get to know the different parts of your mind at http://www.drstevenfox.com

A man dreamed that he was with a group of people. He thought they were friends, but they did not have faces. They were walking around in a building trying to get to the next floor, but then some guy came through the front door and shot him in the back of the head. He woke up right away and wondered what it meant.

Interpretation

Each living thing in the dream usually represents a part of of the dreamers personality. Men tend to go with action parts of the dreamer’s mind. Women tend to go with emotional parts of the dreamer’s mind. People without faces would be parts of yourself that you’re less familiar with, or at least for some reason, you don’t recognize right now within yourself.

The man that shoots you in the back of the head is notable for several reasons. The 1st being that it is an action part of the dreamer’s mind that is a causing some trouble. It would be a shadow aspect of his personality because it is violent.

The shadow is involved in change. He shoots him in the back of the head for a reason. I believe it is because that is where the occipital lobe Is located, that is the part of your brain that helps you to see.

Floors in a building typically represent different levels of consciousness. For instance, going up a flight would indicate that you’re trying to reach a higher level of consciousness, a more expanded view of the world, or at least a different view of the world.

I believe the dream is saying that there is something about the way he is looking at things that is preventing him from going to the next level of consciousness, whatever that is. It might be that he is not seeing people for who they are which would also explain why they have no faces. The shadow is saying that he has to change the way he is looking at things to go to a higher level of consciousness or a different perspective of looking at things.

The dream does not indicate what issue this would would be, although it may have some to do with school, or a financial or business area of his life, because it sounds like it is probably in a commercial building. If it is in a residence, it would indicate that the problem is more residential or close to home. Anyway, The type of building it is might give some hint as to which area of his life the dream is talking about.

The dream is going out of its way to exaggerate that he must change the way he is looking at things, that he must take decisive action to do so. I would feel this as a starting point to look at this dream as it obviously needs more fleshing out to get to specifics which at this point the dream really isn’t doing.Understanding Dreams can help prevent being blindsided by your subconscious at http://www.drstevenfox.com

“I had a dream just before I woke up this morning in which I had somehow acquired a large mansion or palace in the UK, in or near London. In the dream, I knew it had been the former residence of the King/Queen of England, and it had a lot of red brick. If it is an actual place, I have never been there or seen it in a photo. I was the only one there and was looking around, wondering, “what am I going to do with all of this?” It was in good condition but would obviously require a lot of upkeep. -This dream is symbolic, as are most dreams, and I won’t be unpacking there to live in it. However, I am now considering where I want to live. I doubt it will be in London, let alone in a former royal palace. But, the size and history of the palace may indicate for me a more influential presence abroad. This “palace” could house a lot of people, doing a lot of things, for many types of benefits to others. -Any thoughts?www.drstevenfox.com”

Interpretation

To go really symbolic here and teeter on the edge, a place where you’re thinking of living can represent your future Self. I wonder if you are in the process of restoring yourself in some kind of way. To help you restore things that you’ve lost maybe or try to change things back to the way they were in some way. The idea is that it would be something about either restoring your situation, your relationships, yourself, or your activities somehow in some way they used to be in the illustrious or better parts of your past.

Feedback

The dreamer later told me that the dream interpretation was more correct than I would ever know.

“In this dream there was a woman wearing her ring on her left index finger. I asked her “are you married”, and she said yes. It was a gold wedding band. She told me that she used to wear it on her right index finger but due to swelling she had to take it off and switch to the left index finger. I told her that it’s still wrong if she’s married it should be on her left ring finger, and I told her why. I explained the heart vein finger thing, and she switched it and said thank you.

I looked up a couple of interpretations online and I don’t have my book right now so all of it is kind of jumbled. Does anybody have any insight? All is welcomed.”

INTERPRETATION
There are several unusual things about this dream and when there is something out of the ordinary or not customary in a dream, the question becomes, why did the dream find it necessary to do that? Men tend to go with the dreamer’s actions while women tend to go with the dreamer’s emotions. Marriage represents the union of the dreamer’s actions with the dreamer’s emotions. A marriage represents a state of integration or having your stuff together.

A ring is a symbol of commitment. It’s made from a precious material, gold. It is circular and a circle usually represents the soul, because it has no beginning and no ending. A gold wedding band represents a precious soul commitment.

The wedding band is usually worn on the left ring finger which is the finger closest to the little finger. It started out this way because the Romans believed that the ring finger vein went directly to the heart. But this ring is worn on the index or pointer finger. Further, it is being worn on the right index finger before she is corrected.

The pointer finger points you in the right direction. The left tends to go with subconscious feelings. The right tends to go with conscious actions. Your finger swells when you been doing something too much.

I believe the dream is giving advice. The complicated part comes in when you realize that the woman in the dream represents the dreamer’s emotions.

I believe that what the dream may be saying is that the dreamer has been investing himself in conscious actions too much. The dream is screaming that he needs to take his direction from his subconscious feelings and emotions more, to go with what feels right at a soul level. Depending on your situation, it may be making recommendations about recent decisions, that it wants you to look at your inner feelings and motivations, more than what is expedient or convenient.

It is a big dream, talking about your soul commitments.

Dreams can help you find what you really want at http://www.drstevenfox.com

I have with a dream question that I can’t figure out–it’s a fairly simple dream, just wondering if this has a big meaning. A bald eagle was flying high and stopped mid-air to kiss me on the forehead. I woke up feeling extremely peaceful. I trust that it means something good because of how it felt. I am a super vivid dreamer…

Interpretation

Animals are typically our instincts in dreams. The eagle is a very powerful symbol. It typically represents freedom and independence. The eagle is a discerning hunter with keen sight.

Flying in dreams is almost spiritual and usually means things are changing or moving in your world in a big way. The kiss on the forehead probably means that you have made a decision or will make a decision that fiercely protects and promotes your world. It is particularly rewarding your intellect or wisdom.

It is an all-embracing approval of your using your head to defend your world which is spiritually uplifting. No wonder it was such a pleasing dream!

Vivid dreams are usually important emotionally and often have spititual connotations. Her subconscious and/or spirit was very pleased with her decisions.

Dream 500: Interpreting Hieroglyphics
A woman sent me the above drawing of an image she had in a dream. She noted that there were also poisonous snakes and insects all over it. I attempted to interpret some of the possible meanings.

Interpretation

These were my remarks to her:
The triangle intersecting a square looks like pieces of a puzzle coming together. A circle usually represents the soul because it has no beginning and no end. The half circle looks like a half full cup to me which would mean that you’re optimistic. The two triangles meeting at a point look like an hourglass to me. Then there are triangles facing different directions which could symbolize a triangular relationship that is taking a different turn.

Taking a totally Wild perspective, I would guess that your omniscient Self is optimistic that it can figure out the puzzle of how a complicated relationship is changing, but time is limited.

I also like the ancient runes idea, that this is material coming from the collective unconscious. I wish I had an ancient rune translation.

Snakes usually represent change because they are one of the few animals that completely shed their skin. The type of snake usually tells you the type of change it is talking about. The poisonous snake would represent toxic change. Insects may be things that bug you.

“The dream begins in a workplace where there are multiple staff members. I am unsure of the type of work but it seems to be some sort of customer service where they help people. I was a staff member and noticed that certain people were getting promoted while others who I thought deserved it were not I believe.

After some observation I demanded to see the owner; however, I was led to a room where several supervisor staff men and women sat taking complaints via phone, and some in person trying to ease their frustrations.

I was led to a man about 5’9, medium build, grey hair, blue eyes approximately in his 60’s. He had a softness about his soul, a kindness in his eyes. I told him he would have to do, and proceeded to tell him the I didn’t believe everyone was being treated fairly. I told him since I had been there over the past few months I had been sexually assaulted. One man grabbed my butt, another my boob, and another pushed me against a wall wanting a kiss which I denied, among other flirtatious advances.

I had been quiet about it; however, now I see something in the company that did not look right. I told him I would not lower my standards any longer and I was going to take the company down in the name of all women who had ever been treated unfairly. He said he understood this.

Word got out that I was going to take the company down. Some of the women got a bit snotty with me. I assumed these were ones in a click. I said loudly that if these women had any respect for themselves, they would stand up.

I said if I had to be the only one, then I would do it for all women, until they were strong enough. I would no longer play nice with all I’ve witnessed and would no longer turn a blind eye with chuckles to wrong advancements. Some of the women stood by my side as they felt they now had the strength to do so, with my strength beside them.

I found myself in a mansion next. It was absolutely beautifully decorated, exquisite actually. I went outside to the gardens and noticed men and women gathered at a pond or lake on the property. I walked over. The women there were acting a bit odd when I arrived as if I was the talk of the place. I walked to the water and swam across it.

I got to the opposite end, stood on the grass and knew I had set a boundary line between myself and them. A man swam across to stand with me. He says “I will stand by your side because I believe in you.” He then proceeds to tell me he ate my feces and knew he could believe in me. Say what? I thought.

Next he turns on his belly and places his bossom in the air right in front of me. He asks me to wait and tells me he is going to push his feces out so I may eat of his. He says it was such an honor to eat mine and treats me like a celebrity in a sense. His offering was sincere and he told me how much it would mean to him if I did this. I could see his brown eye staring right at me as his poop very slowly began to come out. It was long and smelly. I could taste the feces in my mouth from the smell it gave.

It was between a brown, yet green color. I honestly didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want to offend him but no way in hell was I eating poop! Before I could figure out how I was going to “tastefully” reject this notion I woke.
Disgusting I thought. What the heck did THAT dream mean? Sh__ happens… maybe?

Interpretation
This is basically recycled poop. First it goes through the man who ate the dreamer’s feces, then it goes through the dreamer if she ate it. But the dreamer doesn’t eat it, and she was disgusted by the whole thing.

What is confusing about this, is always to think of it at the first level of dream interpretation. The person offering them recycled poop is a part of themselves. It is a apart of the dreamer she disliked. It is a part of herself that keeps dealing with the same old sh__.
The man who digested her feces is an action part of herself because men tend to go with an action part of the dreamer. So she keeps on digesting the same old stuff over and over which is disgusting and doesn’t do any good.

The message of the dream is taking in information once and digesting it and be done with it. Dreams are too graphic for us to stand most of the time which is why they are disguised. But in this particular case, the dream is going out of its way to make it disgusting, so that the dreamer will stop doing actions, which in this case, as we shall see, involves giving advice. In her case, it doesn’t do anyone any good, because the women she is advising don’t listen to any of her advice.

At the first level, the dream is about the dreamer doing actions for others over and over, that she keeps digesting the same material over and over again, and it doesn’t do any good. The dream is going out of its way to make it as disgusting as can be so that she stops giving advice to people who don’t use the advice anyway. Her actions are just exhausting her.

In the beginning of the dream the dreamer was standing up for other women, and then the poop was presented. She has a sister in her life that is being emotionally abused by her husband. The dreamer has stood by her side but is sick of her husband continuing to mistreat her. Her sister keeps telling her the same abusive stories over and over. It is obvious that she needs to leave the relationship, but she’s making no effort towards it.

The dream is emphasizing that it is disgusting that she keeps putting out energy to people who don’t listen to it. This was also happening in her work situation. Women were telling her their stories; she would give advice; and they would do the opposite or would do nothing regarding the advice.

Dreams can help you conserve and preserve your energy at http://www.drstevenfox.com

I had an interesting dream.I was walking alone on the shoulder of a highway it seemed little traffic,I heard a man’s voice say move or do you want to get hit by a car. Then I turned my back, and there was a three-car accident. All three cars were white.

I said to myself that I could have been in that car, oh my my! What if John (my son) is in that car! I started walking towards that wreck.

Before the accident, there was a white truck that passed by when I heard the mans voice but I never saw the person,the box truck just passed by me.

Interpretation

The important thing about this dream is that you are an observer in the dream. The dream is possibly giving advice. There’s three cars is so we think that it means something spiritual or on a higher plane.

A car is how you get somewhere in life. The dream implies that there’s three courses of action that are on a collision course to one another and that you best be an observer or be a witness and stay out of it.

Your son in the dream could represent a course of action by yourself, personal to yourself. It is in doubt whether he is in the accident though.

The important thing is you may be trying to involve yourself in a situation where you may not really be involved, but are drawn to it like a moth to a flame because you think you are directly personally impacted. This situation could involve your son and, but that is on the interpersonal level, and tends to be less reliable. If it does involve your son it is a example of condensation, but which may or may not be occurring, I don’t know enough of the details to be able to see that but maybe you do. Anyway, if he is not involved, the situation would seem to involve work actions that you take at work, because the man’s voice comes from a truck which is a box truck which is usually a working truck.

The primary thing I would get from this dream is be careful about involving yourself in situations where people is higher goals are on a collision course and things are going to change, but if you stay out of the situation, you will be okay. You will be tempted to throw yourself into the situation because you think you are involved, but you probably are not. I may be best stay on the sidelines, or on the shoulder, or even get further away from it.

I need help interpreting a dream. Well, actually two of them. 1- I don’t remember most of it, but the part that stands out was I had found the cat eating a mouse. I took it out of the cat’s mouth and found another mouse in that mouses mouth, so I grabbed it by the tail and pulled it out of the mouse’s mouth. It squirmed and fell and landed on my tongue, and all i could taste was mouse….very weird! 2- I was with Jeff (my hubby) and was explaining to him that if we couldn’t get along, then we needed to be friends because we are going to be raising these kids. I’d rather them see us as friends who respect each other rather than fighting. He was like “ok,” and suddenly there was some other woman there who was with him. Then I woke up and wanted to lose it on him, but realized I was just dreaming, and he”d have no idea why I was freaking out. So what do you think?

Interpretation

Animals usually represent instincts in dreams. A cat is a predator. A mouse is a vegetarian and is a peaceful creature. You are a rescuer. So the cat, in this particular instance, but not generally, represents your predatory or anger instincts. It consumes or overtakes your peaceful instincts. But what surprises you is that the peaceful creature you are trying to rescue, is trying to kill or be a predator to its own kind.

The second dream is a repeat of the first dream, only less graphically and symbolically. Your instinct to fight or contend with your hubby is replaced by a peaceful instinct to be friends. But you are betrayed by a predatory woman (or the predations or aggressiveness of your husband).

In both cases, you start out by trying to be a peacemaker, and then find out that you were betrayed, that your efforts to be peaceful resulted in your being preyed upon.

In one case, trying to replace your anger with peacemaking results in your being preyed upon by your own kind. In the human case, your efforts to make peace with your husband leads to fears that you’re going to be taken advantage of.

Dream 496: Protecting my soul
A woman dreamed that she was being chased by four men in the black car who are dressed like four hoodlums from the movie “Grease.” She fell into an open grave and was unharmed.

In real life, she had been molested by four different men. This was a recurring dream. She wondered what it meant.

Interpretation

The four men in the dream are obviously shadow figuressymbolic of the four times you were molested by men. There is a reason the men in the dream are white, when the men who molested you were Spanish.

One of my rules for dreams is that the darker the skin of the character in the dream, the more soul is being summoned. The four men who molested you had no soul.

The hopeful thing is that you fell into an open grave and were not harmed. The reason you wake up in an open grave is because being below the ground usually represents the subconscious. The experiences have left subconscious fear and anxiety. The subconscious is protective in the sense that it doesn’t forget traumatic experiences in an effort to try to avoid them in the future.

It is good that the subconscious is protective, but there also can be effects if the subconscious is seeing danger when it isn’t there, because it wants to make sure it never happens again. The fact that it was a reoccurring dream means it is a “big dream.” Big Dreams usually represent major issues in life we are dealing with that we keep trying to solve.

Dreams can help work through major issues in your life at http://www.drstevenfox.com

Dream 495: Being more assertive couldn’t hurt

A man dreamed that he was walking with his mother and all of a sudden a pitbull ran out and bit her on the hand. But somehow, when she pulled her hand away, there was no wound and no bleeding. He wondered what this might mean? I, as usual, gave him an answer off the top of my head.

Interpretation

At the first level of dream interpretation, each a living thing represents a different part of your mind. Your mother usually goes with your emotions. Dogs and animals in general represent instinct. Dogs in particular usually represent something to do with protection and loyalty. In a dream like this, figuring out what the contradiction means is always important. The contradiction in this dream is how is it that she gets bitten, but isn’t hurt? In the dream, your mother usually represents the basis of your emotions.

A dog would represent your loyalty or protection of your emotions. I wonder if you tend to be a person who is hesitant to express anger. Because what happens is the dog does something very aggressive, but no harm is done to your emotions. In other words, I think the dream is emphasizing that you’re very worried about hurting others, but might not be standing up for yourself enough.

It is interesting that the dream is exaggerating the point by making the dog a pitbull, a dog known to be aggressive. The dream seems to be saying that it’s not going to hurt your feelings or others feelings by showing some aggression, as long as you don’t draw blood, that is, be too aggressive in your remarks or actions. I believe your dream is going out of its way to exaggerate that being more assertive wouldn’t hurt anything, especially your feelings.

Dreams can get you in touch with your instincts at http://www.drstevenfox.com

Dream Question 494:It is probable that energy is sometimes exchanged from one subconscious to another through the collective subconscious.

A man recently asked me the following question:

“Subject: Point of View in A Dream

Recently read ‘Dreams’. Loved it. So helpful! If I incubate a dream asking what someone else feels, how do I know if the dream is telling me how that person feels and not how I am feeling?”

Answer: It depends on whether you take the dream as being at the first level or the second level of or higher predictive or spiritual level of dream interpretation. The first level considers each character and feeling in the dream to be part of the dreamer. The second level or interpersonal level of dream interpretation is the one people commonly use, where you assume that the person in the dream is that person in fact.

The first level tends to be more reliable. So I would take the first level as indicating what your subconscious thinks is likely to happen, that is, it is your thinking what is likely to happen that you are not aware of, it is subconscious. It is complicated, but it is your subconscious feeling of how that person is likely to feel probably unless it involves more advanced levels of dream interpretation as well.

The second level is your interpersonal guess about what that person might say. And above and beyond all this, there are predictive dreams that we don’t really know where the prediction comes from, other than to say it comes from the collective subconscious. The collective subconscious is like an internet of the mind that contains every thought than any man has ever thought.

It’s possible that some information from the other person’s subconscious could influence the outcome as well. It is true, I believe, that we are connected in ways we do not understand. I believe that it is likely that we all feed into the same collective subconscious and receive some information from it. It’s possible that two of these levels, or all of these levels, could be true at the same time, in which case we call it condensation, as the dream tries to fit as much information into the smallest space possible.

Exchange information from your conscious to your subconscious at http://www.drstevenfox.com

A woman asked me what it might mean that she had a dream that she killed her ex-boyfriend?

Interpretation

At the first level of dream interpretation, each living thing in a dream represents a part of the dreamer’s mind. Men tend to go with actions, women tend to go with emotions; not absolutely so, but it usually falls out that way.

In the dream, your ex-boyfriend would represent the part of your mind that had to deal with your ex-boyfriend. The dream is actually saying at least two things. One is that your subconscious definitely does not want you to be in a relationship, in the future, that is similar in any way to the relationship you had with that ex-boyfriend. Secondly, it is emphasizing that it is best for you, that your relationship with that ex-boyfriend is over.

Having a dream like this may indicate that you still have feelings about the damage that relationship did to you. The dream may be putting an exclamation point on the necessity to resolve that relationship in your mind, and put it behind you.

The main thing to be learned from this dream is that it doesn’t want you to return to a past destructive relationship, or to enter into a relationship that is anything similar to it. It probably does not want you to act in any way similar that you acted in this relationship in future relationships. Your emotions or intentions may have been good, but your actions did harm probably.

Dreams can help you avoid repeating past mistakes at http://www.drstevenfox.com

Carl Jung used the term “luminous” to describe the quality of particularly vivid dreams that fill the dreamer with a sense of sacred awe and wonder. This picture of Angel Gabriel telling Joseph that Mary was going to have the child Jesus comes close to that inspirational sacred awe that I believe Jung was talking about. This photo of this great masterpiece of art is from the National Gallery in London, England. When I look at this picture, I get a very expansive, otherworldly, and sacred feeling about it.

This depiction of events that would change the course of world history is profoundly moving at a subconscious level, particularly for Christians, because of conscious and subconscious beliefs held by them. It is this vaulting above and beyond human reasoning, that is striving to propel mankind to a higher plane of existence, that makes luminous dreams and art beyond the scope of rationalization.

A man recently dreamed that he was floating upside down in a coffee shop in town. At some point(though there are other details) his mother assisted him by tying him to a street light pole so he wouldn’t float away.

Interpretation

When there is coffee involved, one remembers that coffee is a liquid and liquids invariably go with emotions, especially water, of which coffee is made.

The dream seems to be screaming that he needs to wake up as coffee is a wake up drink. I think the dream might be saying that his way of looking at the world is upside down. Almost for sure, it seems to be saying that he needs to be more grounded.

A mother in a dream usually represents the Foundation of your emotions. The basis of his emotions probably wants him to ground himself and to quit floating away with airy ideas. In his case, it may be good for him to be tied down somewhat, even if it is to a pole. Notice that he’s tied to a light pole which could be the subconscious way of saying that his emotions want him “to see the light.” Also, because it is a street light pole could mean that his subconscious wants him to get grounded–to get some “street smarts.” In any case, he needs to get his bearings.

Dream 490: Analyzing a series of dreams, or skipping the details and going for theme

A man described having the following series of dreams:

“In my dreams dreams I am sitting at a table in a resturant and then I suddenly am flying and I am aware by the sound and feeling of electricity. I fly to the table next to me and then seemingly enter into this womans smiling face. Then in my dream i am talking about this dream and i start flying again and my head hits a chandelier and i realize OH I AM FLYING AGAIN …Another part, there are these mutant human women who are like white alien mermaid creatures and someone I’m with wants to kill them or hunt them down possibly, but they are fast and stealthy. I see them moving around with light speed precision. We finally come upon them as they are rested and realize they are safe and very precious. They tell us about themselves and their eyes are extremely beautiful and mesmerizing. Another dream, girlfriend and I are walking up my driveway placing crystal alters all along the middle of the path in these big bowls. We reach the end of the driveway. I suddenly see a Windstream van parked on the road and the notice we are standing on a newly built bridge that is crossing over a creek that passes thru my driveway. Im a very surprised. This is new to me and i notice its not finished and so i wont be able to drive over when it comes times. Another dream, I am exiting a parking lot. The car in front of me passes thru the gate and I go behind them while its open. I realize then that I did not pay the ticket I had so I pull over and walk to the ticket machine to pay. I pay and then when I go to walk away a woman comes out and is upset with me for avoiding paying. I try to be nice but she is being cold and tells me she has already called the cops. I explain to her that I was not being mindful and thats why i came back to pay. I shake her hand an introduce myself but she isnt warming up to me. Another dream, a guy is standing in front of Grants Lounge and and ask me for drugs. I quickly realize I know the guy and ask him if he has tried the Dmt I gave him. He mentions something or another about it not being that great. I then realize I don’t know the guy and he has no idea what I am talking about.”

Interpretation

I’m going to be quite short and to the point. In reading this series of dreams I tried to look for commonalities and patterns. The first dream sets the stage for the dreams that follow.

In that dream you are flying which means you’re feeling personally powerful. You also are feeling “electrified” and are quite taken sensually by emotional or female positive emotions. You get so excited at one point that you literally forget where you are and start flying (“there he goes flying off again”) and hit your head on the chandelier.

Hitting your head is often the dream screaming that you have to start “using your head” to avoid trouble. The dreams that follow, in one form or another, are emphasizing the importance of noticing detail and not being taken in by first appearances. This is specially the case when attracted to women or positive emotions, as you become totally mesmerized by beauty, as most men are.

Each of these dreams could be taken separately and interpreted in their own right, but I thought there was a general pattern that may be an overarching issue that may be more useful.

Feedback

The dreamer later gave me positive feedback on the analysis and noted that he had been having issues with his girlfriend and DMT. He consciously thought what the dream was indicating he should do subconsciously. A dream giving support to your conscious intuition is the strongest support your unconscious can give you.

A woman had the following dream:
“I dreamt I was in a closed store, not shopping, but hanging out. Suddenly I realized there were little spiders and webs all around me. I had walked through them and the web and spiders were all over me. They were biting me. I tried to leave and a huge spider fell in front of me and when I tried to swat it away, it bit my hand. Then when I was trying to get out the only available path, a huge 10 foot anaconda was coiled up blocking me from leaving. It had a silly face though, with a goofy smile. So i was not afraid of it for long. I slowly walked around it and it never attacked.
In real life, I just started a new job and it’s very exhausting. What could this all mean together?”

Interpretation

When a dream starts out with a commercial setting like this dream does it’s usually about your job or your finances. Spiders and webs usually indicate fears of being trapped or caught by others plans.

The huge spider biting your hand indicates that you are worried that the job is going to limit your ability to do things since we do things with our hands. It also could be a warning not to “bite the hand that feeds you.” You may be taking the job too seriously, not that you shouldn’t take it too seriously, but you might be taking it in a way that you are not trusting enough. On the other hand, there may be reasons that you aren’t trusting and are worried about others nefarious plans.

An anaconda is a huge snake. Snakes virtually always indicate change since they are one of the few animals to completely shed its skin. The characteristics of the snake usually indicate what kind of change it’s talking about. In this case, it’s talking about big change.

First off, it sounds like the job is a big change in your life. Secondly, the dream, by the way that snake is behaving, may be indicating that you need to change the way you’re reacting to the job. Specifically, the snake becomes almost comical. I think the dream may be advising you to lighten up as you may be feeling more threatened than the situation warrants or lightening up will help you succeed as it is probably a difficult situation. I think that the snake never attacking you means that these changes you’re going through aren’t going to kill you.

**The dreamer later gave me feedback that she was indeed having troubles on the job that fit with the interpretation.

Dreams may give you feedback about your emotional reactions at http://www.drstevenfox.com

Dream 488: UFOS and the hope for change
A woman had the following dream:
“Isn’t it frustrating to forget a dream that you feel has great significance in your life? Just last night…I can only remember seeing the moon in my dream…only it became two…then many more…then all of a suddenly these satelites became spaceships flying all over the place as if getting ready to attack the planet….dammit, that’s all I remember. Must have been a glimpse to a near future or something.”

Interpretation

In many ways, dreams of UFO s and the moon may signal hope for a better world to emerge. Dream master Carl Jung saw UFOs as a “mandela of divine hope.”

To quote Jung: “In the threatening situation of the world today, when people are beginning to see that everything is at stake, the projection-creating fantasy soars beyond the realm of earthly organizations and powers into the heavens, into interstellar space, where the rulers of human fate, the gods, once had their abode …”

What this means, at the first subconscious level of dream interpretation, goes something like “the world is such a dangerous place that we hope someone or some force in the universe will save us earthlings.”

This may well be the case. The Moon is a prime symbol of the subconscious. It is connected to emotions and intuition. Your dream knows that that the world’s problems won’t be solved by conscious logic, but needs an emotional and subconscious transformation.

The moons multiplying means that your dream is screaming that “what the road needs now is love, sweet love” to quote songwriter Burt Bacharach.

Dreams may take you to a different world perspective at http://www.drstevenfox.com

“So I had a dream where I was up on this sort of wooden watchtower with a bow and some arrows when suddenly a group of people riding elephants swarmed my tower. I held them off with my arrows and in the dream, I shot them and got them all (sparing the elephants).
I also dreamed that I had a large sword in the dream.

So what does this dream mean?”

Interpretation

Dreams frequently tell you what they are going to be about by the setting employed. You are in a watchtower which I believe may be the dream’s way of saying what the dream is going to be about, I.e. what you need to watch out for. It is about being discerning and protecting yourself from threats.

Each living thing usually represents a part of the dreamer’s mind. Animals are mostly instinctive energies (sex and aggression). An elephant is powerful energy. There are also sayings that may come into play such as “the elephant in the middle of the room” and the fact elephants have excellent memories.

A bow and arrow is used to defend yourself and you may be “aiming for perfection.” A sword metaphysically can be the intellectual discernment to cut through the garbage and penetrate to the truth.

I believe the dream might be giving advice. I think you have to discern what relationships in your life are predatory and/or arouse powerful emotions from you that wastes your energy. To get rid of negative or provocative people, in this case, you have to do so with accurate aim and finesse. Doing it at the right time and place to reduce emotional hurt to yourself is important (the elephants are not injured).

Dreams about the bathroom focus on what you need to eliminate from your life. If it is number one, it is about getting rid of negative emotions. If it is number two, it is about getting rid of negative stuff you have internalized and/or no longer do you any good.

If you go into a bathroom and there is feces everywhere, the dream is talking about external things that you need to get rid of and out of your life. It is toxic and must be eliminated.

Water is virtually always emotions in dreams. If the dream involves showering or taking a bath, it is talking about how you need to clean up emotionally.

If it is a shower, it is more likely to be probable that it is about how you need to get rid of emotions towards others or emotions that are being directed towards you.

If it is a bathtub, it is likely to be more about immersing yourself in your emotions to clean yourself of them and free yourself from the negative portions of those emotions.

Most frequently, whatever proceeded the toileting, is probably what you need to cast out of your life because you do not need that stuff, so to speak.

A man had a dream that he went on a bus with other children to the school field day. In the dream, he was supposed to go number 2 in a single small hole in the ground. He was extremely embarrassed.

Regarding this man’s dream, questions I would ask would involve whether there was something in his life where he was being treated like a child and forced to go along with the crowd (he traveled on a bus) to learn something that was elementary, embarrassing, and/or distasteful to him.

Freud thought toileting was important. Psychological theories such as Eric Ericsson’s indicate that we learn skills at that point in our life involving toileting which is a matter of trust and mainly autonomy. I devote an entire chapter to the bathroom because it is so frequent in dreams in my book “Dreams: Guide to the Soul” at http://www.drstevenfox.com

Dream Thought 485: 3, 6, 9–Change, change times 2, and change squaredI noticed that in interpreting dreams, three is the number of change. I found that six is often significant change, and nine was super change, change squared. In my world of psychological dream interpretation, I ascribed it to three being the most unstable number, the number most likely to lead to change, because three people in a relationship is bound to lead to change.

Tesla comes out of from a totally different angle, of course, and I’ve never heard of this before, but he basically comes to the same conclusion I did from his world of science. You can see my world of psychological interpretation at http://www.drstevenfox.com

A man told me he dreamed that a giant cut his right hand off and wondered what it might mean.

Interpretation
A giant is a person that is bigger than life. The right hand is mainly used by most people to do things. It sounds like your higher or larger self is keeping you from doing something.

At the second level of dream interpretation, which is more unreliable, it could mean someone powerful is keeping you from doing something in a way that deters you from doing it permanently.

The right is usually conscious action, while the left goes with subconscious emotion. The idea would be that your higher self and/or someone powerful is strongly and aggressively keeping or inhibiting you from doing something.

A woman had a dream that she was standing in a bucket and was being lowered into a water well. She wondered what the dream meant.

Interpretation

A famous Jungian dream analyst had a dream that she saw a flower grow out of a water well. The flower had to grow about 40 ft before it reached the surface and could then prosper. She wrote books for 20 years before getting one published. Her books then became best sellers and she had a whole slough of books to publish. Her name is Marion Woodman.

She always saw the dream as indicating that she had beautiful growth within her that would take a long time to emerge out into the world so it ended up being a predictive dream.

For some reason, you are being immersed in your emotions to get fully in touch with your subconscious and who you are at a root level would be part of my guess.

Another woman thought she should have as much fun as she can. She thought the dream was indicating or even recommending that the dreamer have a bucket list of things that she wanted to do. Movement downward usually represents movement towards the subconscious and the Soul, if you will.

It may well be her soul’s urging to do the things she wants before it’s too late, before she dies. Water is virtually always emotions in dream. She is being submerged into her emotions.

Attending my wife’s funeral the other day, it struck me that death is the ultimate shadow following us through life. We are often motivated to accomplish things in a timely manner because of awareness that death is our ultimate fate. This is especially true as one ages.

The shadow is the part of our personality that everyone needs to protect us. It will do anything to protect the dreamer, which is why other parts of the dreamer’s personality need to moderate the Shadow’s response to threats.

One wants to remember that the shadow contains parts of us that we have not used, as well as aggressive parts. If I decided not to become a priest, there is a priest in my shadow that I may want to use at some point later in my life.
Dreams very much use stereotypes which is why Shadows are black in dreams. Plus the fact, shadows are indeed black. Plus the fact, the darkness indicates the subconscious. But one does not want to confuse the color of the Shadow as having any racial inferences.

In fact, when you have a black person in a dream, I believe that indicates that it is a very Soulful part of the person. That is because images from the collective subconscious come from any thought any man in history has ever had. Consciousness is connected in ways that we do not understand, but The older some day science will.

The deeper the thought, the more likely it is archetypal and ingrained in the collective unconscious to which every person is connected.

Black people in dreams are very Soulful parts of the subconscious because man began in Africa in tribes where the first archetypal images, where the deepest archetypal images, where the most soulful images, were created because they were the very first archetypal images. A black person in a dream is soulful because it harkens back to the day when our ancestors were gathered around camp fires in Africa. Common language recognizes this soul connection. For instance, we even call it “soul music,” do we not?

Black people in dreams indicate spirituality in dreams. A higher sense of soul is being summoned usually. The shadow is the part of the personality that protects us in life, and gives way in death to eternal life.

Dreams can connect you with unknown parts of your personality at http://www.drstevenfox.com

“I had a dream last night that I was holding four children, two boys and twin girls…they were so adorable…I have no idea what it means, but I felt do much love for them.”

Interpretation

Each living thing in a dream is usually a part of the dreamer psyche. Boys tend to go with actions. Girls tend to go with emotions. There is something new in your life, either a new idea, a new relationship, or new plans that you are taking new actions to implement on the basis of new emotions. The reason I believe this is that when the dream wants to emphasize something it gives you two and you have double twins. Congratulations!

Reaction: I received the following reaction from the dreamer:

“Wow, that is correct…I just launched my freelance writing business this year and am planning a move out of state, plus hoping to meet someone new to date once there. Thanks!”

Dreams often reflect our goals and hopes at http://www.drstevenfox.com

“I dreamt of painting a series of numbers on a canvas-like material.
The numbers filled the full space of the canvases. I remember painting the number 5. I believe the numbers were in sequential order. 1 through 8 and all of them were painted black and white. I can remember painting the number 5 with black paint. The number 8 however was painted white on a black background.
I can remember having my photo taken of myself, and asked the photographer if I could see his picture of me, since it was a digital photo. In the photo I looked smaller than normal. Also, I guess I was at a Renaissance fair, as I can remember that I was looking for a chainmail suit that knights wear. I was a knight from the Middle Ages. I was looking for a chainmail suit. I kept thinking of chainmail suit of armor before I awoke this morning.

In the photo, I looked smaller as I forgot to mention that I looked like a Fool or Jester from the Middle Ages. I am speaking of the Fool or Jester from the Middle Ages. The Fool’s look is of wearing striped stockings and what we today would consider flamboyant or feminine, for a guy to be wearing tights. Take a look at the original Tarot deck, and you will see the Jester or Fool I am speaking of.

I am not sure where 5 came from. I also don’t why I kept thinking of armor on my chest.

I have been told I lived during the Middle Ages. I had a past life reading when I was in high school. In one of my incarnations, I was a knight and was killed by my fellow men. They killed me for heresy because I told them about a Vision I saw in the early morning hours.

Interpretation

I will hit the parts of the dream that stand out for me. White on a black background sounds like the 8 ball on a pool table. What that connotes is that maybe you feel “behind the eight ball.” That the dream is expressly confusing black and white areas in different ways makes me wonder if it is a question of what’s right and what’s wrong.

In my world, four is the number of stability. Five in my world represents something being added it to your already stable situation. That you felt smaller and like a jester makes me wonder if you added something to your life recently that put you behind the eight ball, and you’re worried about how it will make you appear to others maybe.

In the Tarot deck, the Fool is a card of naivete and starting out on a journey that you don’t know what is going to happen. The question for me would be something like “have you started out doing something that is an addition to your life that is causing you stress and making you worried about how you will appear to others?”

Clothing is psychological defenses usually in dreams. And this clothing is very defensive. But it is a specific kind of defensiveness. To me, that you dreamt of armor on your chest was the dream’s way of emphasizing protecting your heart.

Specifically, chainmail is more flexible gear that allows you to be protected but still allows you to have movement. I think the dream is giving advice here probably.

Whatever situation you find stressful or being behind the eight ball, your subconscious wants you to defend yourself, but to lend yourself some flexibility to allow you to strike back at the competition. That you expressly look at a digital photo, which is bringing present-day into the Middle Ages, makes me wonder if the above things I’ve stated somehow involve the computer or the internet.

It may well be a past life. The question for me was why is your subconscious connecting your present life to a previous life as a knight in armor? What is there about your situation now where it would be valuable to remember what you learned as a defending Knight?

The thing about the flash of being attacked by other knights for having a vision, I think is your dream’s way of warning you to be careful of what you decide to tell and who you decide to tell close personal information to. You need to be flexibly defensive and not willing to sacrifice yourself because of others disbelief or stupidity.

It should be stated that dreams of knights and royalty in the Middle Ages is very archetypal which indicates this is a deep message. For me, this is probably an issue that you faced in previous lives and are facing once again in this life. The dream is trying to point to an archetypal pattern or a past life where you you dealt with it in a certain way, and the dream wants you to change that certain way.

I suspect you were too passive and maybe too honest to people who were not worthy of your trust. You were accused of heresy and executed in a previous life. You want to be careful about throwing pearls before swine, as Jesus said.

First off, I would guess that you did something off the wall and scored.

A basketball is round. Circular objects imply the soul because a circle has no beginning and no end. Dreams frequently use sports and competitive games as a metaphor for life.

The fact that a basketball is used in competition leads to the idea that you did something out of the box and it helped you win something maybe.

Now the question is, is it referring to something that already happened, or is the dream making a recommendation? If it is a recommendation, the dream may be saying, that in order to beat the competition, you may need to do something off the wall.

Dreams can help put unusual events into perspective at http://www.drstevenfox.com

Dream 478: Have fun, but avoid the strings attached or it could lead to a long slide

A man had the following dream:

“So I had a fairly weird dream this morning/yesterday night..

In one portion of my dream, I dreamed that I was texting my crush(I’m a guy and my crush is a girl), and we both had a good time texting each other(she joked around with me and in my dream, I believe I was smiling).

The other portion of my dream involves me being at a water park/resort with my friends. I saw a ton of light blue and there were these structures with ropes hanging around and I climbed them effortlessly(although there were mishaps here and there). I also went down a long slide.

What does this dream mean?”

Interpretation

A woman usually represents the emotional side of a dreamer. Men usually represent more of an action part of your mind in a dream. It sounds like you are logically working out how to combine your actions with your emotions in the first part which sounds pleasant actually.

So the dream announces at the beginning that this is going to be about how to combine your actions with your emotions in regard to your social life. It takes you to a waterpark with friends. Water virtually always represents emotions in dreams. The dream, I think, is giving a mild warning.

Blue is the color of the sky and I think of it as representing freedom and unlimited possibility. I think it is giving a warning with the the ropes that you will be given opportunities with your friends, and you will be able to enjoy them for the most part, but one mustn’t forget that there are strings attached.

I see this dream as being all about your own integration of emotion and action vs how much to play the social game that could have strings attached. The strings could lead to some mishaps, although you will probably mostly have fun. The final warning is the long slide. Playing the game too long could lead to a slide in your social life.

Take it for what it’s worth as I do not know you.

Dreams may try to help improve one’s social life at http://www.drstevenfox.com